Elevator signal control



F. H. JONES ETAL ELEVATOR SIGNAL CONTROL May 21, 1957 2 Sheets-Sheet 1Filed March 29. 1954 May 21, 1957 F. H. JONES ETAL 2,793,264

ELEVATOR SIGNAL CONTROL Filed March 29, 1954 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 UnitedStates Patent() ELEVATOR SIGNAL CONTROL Application March 29, 1954,Serial No. 419,498 3 Claims. (Cl. 20086) This invention relates toimprovements in an elevator signal control device and refersVparticularly to an elevator car construction whichV includes means fortransmitting a signal when the elevator carries a predetermined load.

In the operation of elevators of either the operator serviced type orthe self service type, and particularly the latter, and especially whenthe elevator is descending, it frequently happens that at an early partof its descent it becomes substantially fully loaded with passengers,most of whomk have a common destination, the main oor. After thelelevator is loaded it frequently happens that stop signals are givenbypassengers awaiting the arrival of the elevator at lower floors. Withconventional self vservice elevators the fully loaded elevator will stopat each floor that such stop signal is xgiven'even though there is noavailable room inthe elevator car for the passenger who gave the signal.Hence, the descent of the car is delayed for no useful purpose, delayingthe passengers already in the elevator, and delaying the cyclic trip ofthe elevator.

Devices have heretofore been proposed for automatically canceling stopsignals when the elevator car is already loaded, but such devicescomprise complicated and ineffective means for actuating thesignal-canceling mechanism in response to the passenger load in theelevator'car. i

The present invention is particularly directed to an elevator car whichis so constructed as to actuate a signalcanceling mechanism in responseto a predetermined passenger load in the elevator car, the constructionbeing relatively economical, extremely elective and simple` inoperation.

Brietly described, the present invention contemplates an elevator carconstruction having a floor which deflects under load, the tloor beingso contrived as to transmit the weight carried on the car floor to apressure-producing device wherein said weight is converted into anincrease in pressure of the liquid in a closed hydraulic system whichincludes a pressure responsive electric switch. Actuation of thepressure responsive switch functions to energize a conventional signalcanceling mechanism.

Other objects and advantages of the present invention will be apparentfrom the accompanying drawings and following detailed description.

In the drawings, Fig. l is -a top plan view of an elevator car oorcomprising an embodiment of the present invention, the car walls beingshown in section.

Fig. 2 is a sectional view of said oor taken on line 2--2 of Fig. 1.

Fig. 3 is an enlarged, detailed, sectional view taken on line 3 3 ofFig. 1.

Fig. 4 is a sectional view taken on line 4 4 of Fig. 3.

Fig. 5 is anV enlarged sectional view taken through an elevator carfloor showing a modification of the invention.

Referring in detail to the drawings, 1 indicates generally the lowerportion of an elevator car, having a oor 2, side walls 3, 3, rear wall 4and a front wall 5. The upper portions of A thenivalls 3, 3, 4 and 5 arebroken away, since v .2,793,264 Patented May 21, 1957 the presentinvention is concerned primarily with the floor 2. The side walls, rearwall and front wall may be conveniently secured to the oor 2 adjacentits deiining edges by means of angle irons 6. The front wall 5 isprovided with a door opening 7 through which ingress and egress may behad to the interior of the car. Gates or doors (not shown) may bepositioned across the door opening '7 if desired.

The oor 2 is defined by an angle iron frame 8 which embraces a centraliloor panel 9 which may conveniently be constructed of relatively stronglumber. The central panel 9 may be sandwiched between plywood panels 10and 11, at the upper and lower faces of the panel 9, respectively. Asteel plate 12 is disposed beneath the lower plywood panel 11 and iscoextensive in area with said panel.

Of course, the basic tioor structure, hereinbefore described, is setforth for purposes of illustration only since any foundation floorconstruction may be employed which is suiciently strong and rigid tocarry the load intended to be carried in the car 1.

Frame members 13 may be positioned on the upper plywood panel 10adjacent its periphery, the front frame member 14 being of greater widththan the side and rear frame members 13. If desired, hardwood strips 15may be positioned upon the upper surfaces of the members 13 and 14.

A deiiecting floor assembly 16 is positioned above the upper plywoodpanel 10, said assembly being bordered by, and horizontally ilush withthe strips 15 upon the frame members 13 and 14. The deilecting floorassembly 16 comprises a central panel 17 upon which is carried a plywoodpanel 18. A steel panel 19 may be positioned upon the lower face of thecentral panel 17 and is coextensive in area therewith. Resilient strips20 may be positioned upon the plywood panel 10 adjacent the inner edgesof the strips 13 and 14, said strips 20 functioning as a resilientsupport for the defining edge portions of the deflecting oor assembly16. The strips may be constructed of sponge rubber or other soft rubberor rubberlike material. The floor 16 may be secured to the base floor bymeans of screws 20 whereby said detlecting iloor 16 is substantiallylaterally immovable. Yet, iloor 16 may deflect toward the base oor whena predetermined load is carried by the floor 2. As will be hereinaftermore fully described the dellection of lioor 16 need not be great, sincea `substantially static change of pressure in the hydraulic systemassociated with the oor is all that is necessary.

A plurality of pressure producing devices 21 are suspended beneath theoor 2. Each of the devices 21 comprises a head member 22 and a bottommember 23 which are secured together by means of bolts 24. The headmember 22 and bottom member 23 are similar in construction and each isprovided with a recess 25 which open into each other when the parts areassembled.

Certain of the bolts 24 extend upwardly through the metal panel 12, theplywood panel 11 and the central panel 9 of the subfloor assembly. Thesebolts, at their lower end portions are provided with threads which, inturn, are engaged by nuts 26 which fasten the head member 22 and thelower member 23 together. Nuts 27 also threadedly engage the bolts 24intermediate the length of said bolts and bear upon the lower face ofthe metal panel 12. The upper plywood panel 10 is provided with recesses28 for the reception of the heads 29 of bolts 24. Thus, the bolts 24 maybe securely fastened to the subfloor, holding the pressure producingdevices 21 in rigid suspended relationship with respect to the suboor.

A exible diaphragm 30 is positioned between each head member 22 andlower member 23, the edge portions of said diaphragm being anchoredbetween said members and the central portion thereof extending acrossthe recess provided vin said members. A rod 31 is slidably positioned inbore 32 provided in the head member 22 and the upper portion of said rodis secured to the lower face of the metal panel 9 of the deflectingfloor assembly 16. The lower portion of said rod is secured, by means oftting V42, to the diaphragm 30.

There are four pressure producing members 21 suspended beneath the lloor2, said members being symmetrically dispos-ed beneath the floor.

A threaded nipple 33 is connected into each lower member 23 of each ofthe pressure producing devices 21, 'said nipple connecting with a bore34 which opens into the recess 25 of the lower member 23. Each nipple 33is threadedly connected at its end to a litting 3S and all of saidlfittings are joined together by pipes 36, that is, the pipes 36'connectall of the lower members of the pressure producing devices 21 together,However, included in said hydraulic pipe system is a conventionalpressure actuated electric switch 37.

The hydraulic system comprising the pipes 36, pressure actuated switch37 and the recesses 25 of the pressureproducing devices 21 is filledwith a liquid 3S. In view of the fact that the deflecting floor 16 iscarried upon the resilient strips 20, said oor is movable to a limiteddegree normal to its face. For instance, when a load is carried upon thedeecting floor 16 the strips 20 will be compressed and the deectingfloor will move downwardly. Such movement i-s transmitted to the rods 31which, in turn, ex the diaphragms 30 of the pressure producing devices21 downwardly. Hence, the liquid 38 is subject to pressure, saidpressure being proportional to the load carried upon the deflectingiloor. The pressure operated switch 37 may be So adjusted that for apredetermined pressure exerted upon the liquid 38 said switch will closeor open an electric circuit. Hence, it can be readily seen that anelectric circuit including conductors 39 may be controlled in responseto the load carried by the iioatiu-g floor 16. In the event,forinstance, that the elevator car 1 is employed as a self serviceelevator, it can readily be seen that when a predetermined load iscarried upon the deilecting iioor 16 the-switch 37 may be caused to actto control the circuit connected to the conductors 39. For examplerifthe elevator car 1 is at an upper portion of its travel and is movingdownwardly, and if said car is loaded, a stop signal given by anawaiting passenger at a lower floor, may be canceled by the actuation ofthe pressure operated switch 37. Thus, the cancellation of the signal,which prevents the unnecessary stopping of v lthe elevator at the loweroors, will be responsive to a predetermined weight upon the deflectingdoor 16, that is, it will be responsive to the number of passengerscarriedinthe elevator car. If, for instance, in a descending elevatorcar, the car is fully loaded at an upper floor, all lower stop signalswill vbe canceled. lf, however, a nurnber of passengers leave the car atan intermediate oor, the pressure in the hydraulic system which actuatesthe switch will be reduced and, hence, stop signals at lower floors willagain be effective in stopping the elevator. Of course, it is to beunderstood, that the switch 37 will not effect any stop signals whichmay originate within the car itself, the circuit including theconductors 39 only being effective to cancel stop signals originatingexteriorly of the car.

If desired, resilient strips 40 may be positioned beneath the oatingfloor throughout desired portions of its area whereby to aiord greaterV`.Support for the oor.

In the normal adjustment of the device the iloating floor `16 willrrestupon-the resilient strips 2t? and the upper surface of saidl deflectingiloor will be slightly above or be ush with the Vupper surfaces ofthe'bordering strips 15, Tojprevent; upward movement of any of the rods31 beyond-this normaliposition -a stop ring 41 may em brace each rod. 31and may he Vconined between the 4 coupling 42 and the lower defining4surface of the upper lrecess '25. Thus, if the weight upon the deectingoor 16 is not uniformly distributed, no portion of the oor will evermove upwardly beyond its ilush position with the bordering strips 15.

Referring particularly to Fig. 5, a modification of the invention isillustrated. Insofar as the details of the construction of the door areconcerned the floor shown in Fig. 5 is substantially identical withfloor 2 and the parts will be so designated by corresponding referencenumerals without further description.

A beam 43 may Vbe positioned beneath the suboorf of the elevator car,being carried from the bottom of said sublloor by channel irons 44, theupper anges of which are secured to beams 45 carried by the floor. Aplurality of hydraulic cylinders 46, only one of which is shown, arepivotally secured at their lower ends to lugs 47 carried by beam 43. Apiston (not shown) is slidably positioned in each cylinder, said pistoncarrying a piston rod 43, the upper end of which is secured to the panel19 of the deflecting oor 16. The lower ends of the cylinders 46 are allconnected together, as in the case of the pressure-producing devices 21,by means of pipes 49, the hydraulic system thus formed including apressure actuated switch (not shown), similar to switch 37, hereinbeforedescribed.

In employing the modified form of the invention, the cylinders 46 areappropriately spaced beneath the car floor such as in the case of the`pressure-producing devices 21. When a predetermined maximum weight,that is a predetermined maximum number of passengers,

v is carried by the car, Ythe liquid in the cylinders and asiit)sociated hydraulic partsis subject to a pressure sufficiently high toactuate the pressure operated switch. Thus, .by the use of thepiston-cylinder type of pressure-producing device a stop-signal may becancelled, as hereinbefore described in conjunction with thepressure-producing devices 21. y Y

Broadly, the present invention contemplates any type ofpressure-producing device, such as, the bellows-type as well `as thetypes shown. In view of the fact that the pressure change-in thehydraulic system is substantially a static pressure change, there beingonly that amount of liquid movement necessary to actuate thepressure-responsive switch 37, the movement of the deflecting iloor 16is substantially negligible and, hence, substantially lany type ofpressure-producing or pressuretransmitting device will be suitable.

Of course, any conventional pressure-responsive switch may be employedwhich will actuate an electric switch to either open or close anelectric circuit. Obviously, the conductors 39 may be connected to anexternal electric circuit which may function as a stop-signal cancelingagency or the pressure-responsive switch may be ernployed to give anyother desired signal in response to the weight load upon the deflectingfloor 16.

As many pressure-producing devices as desired may be employed inconjunction with the deflecting floor, but preferably a suicient numberthereof are appropriately spaced beneath the oor as to uniformly receivethe load upon the floor.

We claim as our invention:

1. An elevator car signal controlling device comprising a door for anelevator car, said oor comprising a subfloor and a superimposeddetlecting floor, 'a plurality of hydraulic pressure-producing devicessuspended beneath and secured toV said suboor, rod means connected tosaid dellecting iloor and connected to said pressure-producing devices,resilient means carried on the upper face of said subfloor and borderingthe entire periphery of the superimposed floor whereby weight applied tosaid superimposed floor is .applied by said rod vmeans to said:pressure-'producing devices to apply substantially static lpressure :toliquid 'carried'in said vpres sure-producing .devices when said deectingiloori'car.-

ries a predetermined weight, pipe means connecting saidpressure-producing devices together whereby the liquid pressure in saiddevices is the same, a pressure-operated switch connected to saidpressure-producing devices and operably responsive to the pressure ofthe liquid in said pressure-producing devices, and means for connectingsaid switch to an electrical circuit to control said circuit in responseto the predetermined weight on said detlecting floor.

2. An elevator car signal controlling device comprising a floor for anelevator car, said floor comprising a subfloor and a superimposeddeflecting iloor in planeparallel relationship to said subfloor,resilient means carried on the upper face of the subfloor adjacent theedges of said subfloor upon which the deflecting iloor is carried forresilient movement substantially normal to said subfloor, a plurality ofhydraulic pressure-producing devices suspended beneath and rigidlysecured to said subfloor, said pressure-producing devices beingsubstantially equally spaced from each other and substantially equallyspaced from the margins of said tloors, rod means connected to saiddeilecting lloor and connected to said pressure-producing devices toapply substantially static pressure to liquid carried in saidpressure-producing devices when said deflecting floor carries apredetermined weight, a pressure-operated switch connected to saidpressure-producing devices and operably responsive to the pressure ofthe liquid in said pressure-producing devices, and means for connectingsaid switch to an electrical circuit to control said circuit in responseto the predetermined weight on said deilecting floor.

3. An elevator car signal controlling device comprising a iloor for anelevator car, said iloor comprising a subfloor and a superimposeddeflecting iloor, a plurality of diaphragm type hydraulicpressure-producing devices suspended beneath and rigidly secured to saidsubfloor at substantially symmetrically spaced positions with respect tothe area of said subfloor, rod means connected at one end to saiddeflecting floor and connected to the diaphragms of saidpressure-producing devices at their other ends, resilient means carriedon the upper face of the subfloor and bordering the entire periphery ofthe References Cited in the ille of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS823,455 Willcox June l2, 1906 1,414,913 Whittingham May 2, 19222,253,425 Garland Aug. 19, 1941 2,371,909 Naerbo Mar. 20, 1945 2,439,608Krauer Apr. 13, 1948

